Medway Labour and Cooperative Group have submitted the latest set of signatures to their school meal petition to Medway’s Conservative administration.  The petition called on the Conservative council to reverse their decision not to fund vouchers for Medway’s children eligible for free school meals over the summer holidays.  During all other school holiday periods since the pandemic free school meals have been funded to support low income families.  Medway Council chose not to reverse their damaging decision and Medway Labour have now referred the petition to the Children and Young People Committee on Thursday 29th September.

Cllr Clive Johnson, Medway Labour and Cooperative Shadow Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and lead petitioner, said today:

 “The people of Medway are clearly concerned about holiday hunger – well over 1300 people have signed – and it should not take a famous footballer or our petition to make the council do the right thing and to prevent children going hungry.  

“The cost-of-living crisis is hitting Medway families hard and they are under more financial pressure than ever.  Supporting families over the summer would have been an easy win for the council.  

“Children eligible for free school meals are already identified and we know their families are, by definition, in hardship.  To refuse to support them when it would have been so easy to do and the support would have been so closely targeted, is sheer callousness from an administration which is out of touch with the needs of Medway and its struggling families.  

“We will ensure that they are held to account for this at the Children’s Committee on the 29th.”

ENDS

For Further Information:  Clive Johnson 07802872592 clive.johnson@medway.gov.uk